Most people with severe allergy risks have anaphylaxis while on vacation, study finds

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — A majority of respondents to a survey commissioned by drug maker Sanofi say that they or their children experienced a severe allergic reaction while traveling.

Sanofi announced the results of the nationwide survey of nearly 400 people, indicating that 65% of caregivers of children with severe allergies to food, insect stings or other causes reported that their child had an allergic reaction while on vacation. Wakefield Research conducted the survey between July 10-22, which included 275 adults who had been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector and 223 caregivers of children, including some who fit into both categories; the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

The study also found that 70% of adults at risk for a severe allergic reaction had one while taking a trip, and Sanofi noted that it was essential that people with allergies stayed prepared for emergencies as Labor Day, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, approached. But despite the risks, 68% of adults and 49% of caregivers of children at risk for severe allergic reactions, also known as anaphylaxis, reported forgetting or leaving behind their epinephrine auto-injectors while away.

"As someone severely allergic to shellfish and a frequent traveler, I understand firsthand the importance of being prepared for an unexpected severe allergic reaction," football player Jerome Bettis, a spokesman for Sanofi’s Auvi-Q auto-injector, said on behalf of the company. "It’s critical that I plan ahead. This includes avoiding my allergen and letting restaurant staff know about my severe allergy; making sure I always carry my two Auvi-Q epinephrine auto-injectors; and knowing the number for emergency medical assistance in the area I’m visiting."

Nearly all the respondents — 99% — said they were worried about experiencing a severe allergic reaction at one or more outings. Other areas of worry for caregivers of children with food or insect allergies include restaurants, others’ homes and eating outdoors at picnics or barbecues, as well as pools and beaches.

Seventy-six percent of adults with food allergies say they’ve had anaphylaxis while on vacation, and 75% of respondents say they verify all food ingredients and preparation methods before eating, while 57% say they make allergy-friendly food at home to bring with them and eat. Meanwhile, 63% of those with insect allergies say they wear shoes outdoors, and 54% avoid clothes with bright colors and floral patterns.

Are you a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant? Join our Facebook group to get all the latest news dedicated to delivering healthcare services to patients in retail pharmacy clinics.

Cardinal Health keeps commitment to fastest-growing demographic in community pharmacy

SEATTLE — Cardinal Health hosted a full-day pharmacy ownership “boot camp” to support Women in Pharmacy in Seattle, Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Cardinal Health 2013 Retail Business Conference, helping to pave the way to independent ownership for a key demographic across pharmacy schools and pharmacy operations — female pharmacists.

“The changing demographics of pharmacy students really says a lot about what the future of pharmacy will be,” remarked Christi Pedra, SVP of marketing and customer solutions for Cardinal Health. “More women are entering the pharmacy profession than men, but we’re not seeing that translate into business ownership. Some can point to the fact that they haven’t been exposed to what it’s like to be a retail independent or work in a retail setting, but also there’s an opportunity to help women explore [those opportunities].”

And that’s an area in which Cardinal Health has committed to helping break through in recent years. Now in its second year, the Cardinal Health Women in Pharmacy boot camp was created to help identify critical skills necessary for new owners to succeed in today’s pharmacy business climate, and help get the ball rolling toward store ownership through critical training and sharing key tips of the trade, including finance basics and basic personnel management training. The boot camp also featured a panel discussion with successful, present-day female pharmacy owners, “showing women the way to ownership and helping established owners grow their businesses is the mission — and passion — of the Women in Pharmacy Initiative,” Cardinal Health noted. The program was open to pharmacy students, alumni and pharmacy employees interested in owning their own business.

“What we’re trying to do is elevate the awareness [among women] that they can own their own store,” noted Steve Lawrence, SVP independent sales for Cardinal Health. Today most owners are men despite the fact that women comprise more than 60% of pharmacy students, he said.

“It’s going to be critical for women to be owners if you want independent pharmacy to thrive and grow,” added Michael Kaufmann, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Segment at Cardinal Health.

Helping prospective pharmacy owners find mentors is a key element of the boot camp and the work Cardinal Health does all year long to support female ownership, Pedra said.

“Pairing women with good mentors [is] a good focus for [the program],” noted Beverly Schaefer, pharmacist owner of Katterman’s Sand Point Pharmacy in Seattle, and a finalist for this year’s Ken Wurster Community Leadership Award (click here for more on the Wurster Award). “This program is designed to help women feel more confident in their ability to make good business decisions,” she added. “[Women in Pharmacy] offers them resources that they may not know are available — financial resources, design resources, partnering with manufacturers … it’s all support for either opening or running a business.”

“We think we can be very instrumental in helping young students and recent graduates understand what the options are in terms of pursuing pharmacy ownership,” Pedra said. “We think that we can coach and nurture them to the point that when they’re ready to start exploring ownership and financing options, that we can introduce them to some of the services that Cardinal Health provides like financial assistance through the Pharmacy Transition Services program.” That program helps link pharmacists interested in selling their businesses to pharmacists interested in owning and operating their own pharmacy.

“Women are the backbone of this profession,” added Kathy Campbell, owner of Medicap Pharmacy and OMC Pharmacy in Owassa, Okla. “You go into any pharmacy, whether it’s the pharmacist, the technicians, the cashiers or the customers, [women] are the ones who are in the pharmacy and are driving the business,” she said. “This is not just about women owning pharmacies; it’s about all women being empowered in their health care.”

Cardinal Health launched the initiative to offer women the resources, support and inspiration they need to start, manage and grow their own independent pharmacy, Lawrence noted. As part of the Women in Pharmacy programming, Cardinal Health also provided several important networking opportunities for female pharmacists, including its “Mix, Mingle and Mocha,” now in its third year as part of the Cardinal Health RBC lineup. “Mix, Mingle and Mocha” is aimed at helping to connect female pharmacy students with female pharmacy owners who may serve as mentors.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic drug for depression made by Par Pharmaceutical Cos., the drug maker said Tuesday.

Par announced the approval of bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets in the 300-mg strength. The drug is a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Wellbutrin XL and is used to treat major depressive disorder. The company already markets the generic drug in the 150-mg strength.

In September 2012, the FDA asked companies making generic bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets to conduct studies in order to ensure that their versions were as effective as the branded version following reports of differences in efficacy between the branded drug and some generics. Par said it conducted a study demonstrating that its version was equivalent to GSK’s.

Are you a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant? Join our Facebook group to get all the latest news dedicated to delivering healthcare services to patients in retail pharmacy clinics.

Forgotten Password

Registration complete

REGISTER

USERNAME *

Spaces are allowed; punctuation is not allowed except for periods, hyphens, and underscores.

E-MAIL ADDRESS *

A valid e-mail address. All e-mails from the system will be sent to this address. The e-mail address is not made public and will only be used if you wish to receive a new password or wish to receive certain news or notifications by e-mail.

Password *

Confirm Password *

Please choose a password for your account; it must be 8 - 30 characters. .

First Name *

Last Name *

Company Name *

Job Title *

ZIP *

Are you a *

Retailer or Healthcare professional

Non-Retailer

How many stores do you operate?: *

Which best describes the business/industry you work in?: *

Which best describes your job title?: *

Please select the newsletters you would like to subscribe to

DSN A.M.
Daily news stories covering the retail drug industry

Breaking News
First-to-the-market with developing stories in the industry